


A Match Made In Heaven

by Bremol



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-15
Updated: 2011-06-15
Packaged: 2017-10-20 10:49:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/211983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bremol/pseuds/Bremol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard does a bit of birthday shopping for Emily.  In search of the perfect pair of shoes to match her Birkin Bag, he comes across a pair he just has to buy for her...just for the bedroom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Match Made In Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a friend's birthday. She has a thing for shoes and purses...mainly shoes lol. Knowing that was what inspired this story.

Richard felt his pulse race, his eyes nearly bugging out of their sockets as he stared at the perfect shoes.  He could literally close his eyes and see his wife wearing them, her legs even sexier as she balanced herself on the four inch heels.

His mind kept telling him that he shouldn’t be acting this way in public, but his body was having other ideas.  He knew Emily would fuss at him, but he just _had_ to buy these shoes.

“I’ll just have to buy her a second pair for public appearances,” he mumbled to himself as he lifted the box from its resting place.  Shaking his head at himself, Richard sighed as he looked at the endless shoes he was going to have to peruse.

“May I help you, Sir?” a petite brunette asked as she stared up at him.

Richard smiled down at the young woman, whose name was Liz according to the tag on the left lapel of her blouse.  He was thankful that she obviously hadn’t been here when he’d dismissed the woman that had accosted him when he’d first stepped into this area of the store, because at this point, he really needed the help.

“I would appreciate it,” he answered her gratefully.

“I see that you’re carrying a pair of Jimmy Choos.  Are those not what you’re looking for?  I can put them back for you.”

Richard shook his head.  “No, these are fine.  I just need another pair.  It’s my wife’s birthday,” he shrugged and gave the young woman a lopsided smile before continuing in a whisper.  “I want to spoil her a bit.”

Liz smiled.  “How sweet.  So what are you looking for?  Another pair of Jimmy Choos?”

“Another pair of Jimmy Choos in black would be wonderful.  I’m trying to find a pair that will match the Birkin Bag I bought her for our anniversary.”

“What does the bag look like?”

Richard smiled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.  “I had my granddaughter take pictures of it so that I would have them for reference.”

Looking at the pictures, Liz nodded.  “I have just the shoes.  Follow me.”

Richard put his phone back in his pocket as he followed the young woman then smiled when she held up a pair of shoes.  “Oh, those are perfect.”

“Now just to find the right size.”

“Those are the right size.”

“Ooh, little feet.  I envy her.”

Richard couldn’t help but laugh at the way the young woman snarled when she looked down at her feet.  “My granddaughter does too.  Says it isn’t fair that her grandmother has such little feet.”

Smiling back up at her customer, Liz sighed.  “Some women are born with it all.”  She shrugged when he chuckled again.  “Do you want both pairs of shoes gift wrapped?” she asked as they walked the short distance to the cash register.

“I would appreciate it.  I may be an expert at picking out shoes, purses, and jewelry for my wife, but wrapping is not something I’m very good at.”  He shrugged as he pulled out his credit card, handing it to the young woman and watching as another woman began to wrap his wife’s gifts.

“I think she’s a lucky woman, even if you can’t wrap a present.”  Liz winked at him with a smile as she handed his credit card and the slip to him.

Richard couldn’t help the way his cheeks tinged at the compliment that was hidden in the comment.  “I’m the lucky one.”  He gave Liz a smile.

 

~*~

 

His mind wondering, Richard found himself imagining once again his wife’s legs as she stood in nothing but the black patent leather peep toe shoes he had sitting beside him, and the long strand of pearls he’d bought her for Christmas.  His body began to react to his imaginings, and he squirmed in his seat with a groan which he quickly covered up with a cough.

 _“Get a hold of yourself, man,”_ he scolded himself mentally.  The train from New York City back to Hartford was not the place to be having these types of daydreams.  Of course, nowhere other than his bedroom, or office at home, was the place to have these kinds of daydreams.  He shook his head and sighed.

“Is something wrong, Sir?”

“No, nothing’s wrong.  Just tired of traveling and ready to get home.”

“Been to the city to shop?”

“Business, but decided to shop for my wife’s birthday present.”

“Wow.  You do your own shopping?  My secretary does all of that.  I don’t have time.”

Richard studied the young man sitting across the aisle.  “You’ll regret that one day.  I nearly lost my wife because I forgot to be the man she loves, not the man she’s married to.”

The younger man frowned in confusion.  “I don’t get it.  There’s a difference?”

“Oh,” Richard nodded.  “a big difference.”

“How?  If we’re married, I’m the man she loves.”

Richard shook his head.  “It doesn’t work that way.  You can be married and not love each other.  My wife and I were married for nearly forty years when she left me because I stopped being the man she loved.  I was just her husband.  Work was more important than she was and I was shutting her out.  My secretary bought flowers and gifts for special occasions, and at the end, I didn’t even bother to sign the cards personally.  The man my wife loved brought her flowers every day, flowers he personally picked out.  He remembered little things like the anniversary of the day they shared their first kiss, or the blue dress that caught his eye and drew him to the auburn haired beauty that was wearing it.”

“I used to do that,” the young man sighed.  “but my business takes me all over the world, I just don’t have time.”

“I was about your age when I let my job become more important.  You still have time to fix things, if you want to.  Do you still love her?”

“I can’t imagine my life without her.”

“Then take the advice of an old man.  When you get home, buy her some flowers and surprise her with a little romance.  Apologize to her and reassure her that you love her, that you’re going to change and make her first and foremost in your life.  Make sure she knows that she’s not just your wife, that she’s your partner; the woman you love.  Tell her what you just told me.  Even when you’re out of town, never let a day go by that you don’t call her in the morning and then at night.  Spend a night or two of your trips falling asleep together over the phone.”

“You do that?” the younger man asked in amazement.

Richard smiled.  “I do.  I call my wife every day to say good morning, and then every night.  We go to bed together and talk until we fall asleep.  I have to carry a spare battery for my phone because it’s always dead by morning.”

Feeling the train begin to slow, the young man studied Richard as he turned to gather his things.  “Thank you,” he whispered.

“No thanks necessary.  Just make sure you do what I said, but don’t just do it because I said to.  Do it because you truly, deep down, love your wife.”

 

~*~

 

Thinking of the young man on the train, Richard decided to pull out his cell to call Emily and talk to her as he made his way home.  The drive wasn’t a long one, but he had a longing to hear her voice.  Frowning when the answering machine picked up, he hung up and dialed her cell number.  Getting her voice mail, he sighed.

“Where are you Emmy?” he wondered.  As late in the day as it was, it was too late for a lunch date with a friend.  Maybe Rory had decided to spend the day shopping and asked her grandmother to go along.  Dialing Rory’s number, he smiled when he heard her answer.

“Hello, Rory.  Is your grandmother with you?” he asked then listened to her explain that they were just leaving the mall.  He smiled when Rory started telling him of the fun that they’d had, but his smile disappeared when her tone changed and she asked him how he could forget her grandmother’s birthday.

“I didn’t forget, Rory.  I sent her flowers and I’m on my way home with gifts.  Didn’t she get the flowers?”  Again he listened, his heart racing with each word she spoke.  “Didn’t the flowers have a card?  I personally picked those flowers out before I left, and I distinctly,” he started then stopped.  “Oh damn it.  I must have forgotten to write happy birthday on the card.”  He slammed his hand against the steering wheel.  “I promise, Rory.  I’m not slipping back into my old ways.  Just take her home, I’ll be there shortly.  I’ve got a couple of stops to make.”  He flipped his phone closed and threw it over into the passenger’s seat.

“Poor Emmy.  Damn it,” he cursed again.  “How could I have been so forgetful?”

Turning into the florist shop he always bought Emily’s flowers from, he parked his car and hurried to get inside. 

“Hello, Julia,” he called as he walked inside, the door bell ringing behind him.

Popping up from behind a large floral arrangement, the blonde smiled.  “Mr. Gilmore!  What are you doing here?  Did something go wrong with the flowers?  We delivered them earlier today just like you ordered.”

“The flowers, from what I’ve been told, are beautiful.  It’s the card that was the problem.  I messed up.”

“Uh oh.”  Julia raised her eyebrows.  “Forgot to write _Happy Birthday_ didn’t you?”

Richard nodded.  “I did.  So,” he started but stopped when she held up her hand.

“Let me guess.  Three dozen red roses in tissue paper so she can put them in her own vases.”

“You know me too well, Julia.  Can you make one of the dozen, rose buds?”

“Sure.  Just a moment.”

Richard watched the bubbly blonde disappear into the back then looked down at his watch.  He knew that Emily would be home by now, but there was still one place he had to stop before home.  The cake he’d ordered for her birthday was waiting to be picked up, and after the mess he made with the flowers, he couldn’t afford another mistake.  As he stood waiting, he thanked whatever had made him go into _Tiffany’s_.  The necklace was going to help him immensely with his groveling.

 

~*~

 

Emily heard the door open, heard his footsteps going up the stairs, and reached up to wipe her eyes.  It wasn’t often that she cried, but when she thought of how he had let his business trip become more important than her, she couldn’t seem to stop the tears. 

It hurt to think that he’d forgotten her birthday, even if it was just another day of the year.

Things had changed so much in the last months since their vow renewal.  She had thought her beloved Richard was back.

Closing her eyes, she felt the tears rolling down her cheeks again at the ache in her heart.  She wouldn’t let him see her like this.  She wouldn’t let him know that she was hurt.  She would do as she always had done.  Hide the emotions and pretend that everything was alright.

Richard quietly slipped into the living room, kneeling down in front of his wife, his heart aching at the tears on her cheeks.  “Emmy,” he whispered as he reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks.  “I didn’t forget what today is.”

Emily opened her eyes when she felt something being placed on her lap.  Looking down, she saw the black velvet with the _Tiffany & Co_ on it, then looked up at Richard.  “You went to _Tiffany’s_?”

“I did.  I went somewhere else, as well, but you’ll see that later.  Open it,” he whispered the encouragement.

Sniffling, Emily lifted the lid of the box and gasped as the diamonds sparkled in the low light of the lamp.  “A key, Richard?” she asked when she lifted the key shaped pendant from its resting place.  The platinum setting was designed to look like a kaleidoscope that flowed into the key at the base, the chain that the key dangled from held tiny diamonds that caught the light and sparked with brilliant fire.

“Yes, Emmy, a key.  I want you to wear this every day so that you always remember that it’s you, _you_ are the key to who am I.  You’ve made me the man I am just by loving me.  Even when I hurt you, you loved me and gave me a second chance.  Cliché as it might sound, you hold the key to my heart.”

Emily smiled, her tears returning as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Richard’s neck.  “Oh how I love you,” she breathed.  “I’m sorry that I doubted you.  I should have known that you wouldn’t forget.  You never have in the past, even when your secretaries were buying the flowers and my gifts.”

“I assure you, my secretary had nothing to do with any of your gifts.”

“Just exactly how much did you spend on me, Richard?” she questioned as she pulled back to look at him.  “This necklace would have been sufficient, Darling.”

Richard smiled at the use of the endearment, something that didn’t happen often.  “Can’t a man be frivolous once in a while?  Besides, I didn’t set out to buy the necklace.”  He shrugged.  “I had no plans to go to _Tiffany’s_ , my idea for a gift had nothing to do with jewelry this time, but something told me I needed to go in when I passed by.  When I realized that you thought I had forgotten your birthday, I was very glad that I’d gotten the necklace.”

Cupping his face, she stared into his blue eyes before pressing a kiss to his waiting lips.  “You spoil me so,” she commented when she pulled away.

“Better to spoil than lose.”  He winked at her.  “It’s nearly dinner time, we should probably go and change.”

Emily nodded.  “Yes.  Not to mention that I need to fix my face.”

“Your face is beautiful, just exactly as it is.  Tear stains and all.”  He kissed each cheek.  “But we don’t want the maid to know you’ve been crying.”

“No we don’t,” she agreed then smiled as they stood up, walking hand in hand to the stairs.  “I bought something for you today.”

Richard cocked his head to the side as he studied her.  “You did?” he asked, curious as to what she could have bought him that would make her face blush.

“Well, it’s for me really, but,” she shrugged and trailed off.

“Oh,” he muttered.  “How did you do that without Rory knowing?”

“Same as I did when Lorelai and I would go shopping before she left home.”

Richard nodded.  “The old _you go look at those dresses while I use the ladies room_ routine.”

“Only in this case it was, “ _You go on into the book store, I have to use the ladies room.  I’ll just be a few minutes_.”  She chuckled.  “Rory just nodded and disappeared into the many shelves of books.  It was easy.”

“My sneaky Emmy.”

She shrugged.  “Well, it would have been too embarrassing to buy something like that with my granddaughter along.”

“She would have enjoyed teasing you.”

“Too much, I’m afraid.”  Emily agreed then turned just inside their bedroom door.  Looking up at him, she rested her hands on his chest.  “I’m so happy you’re home.  I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.  I’m too old and set in my ways for these overnight trips without you.”  He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.  “I’m glad that you weren’t with me so that I could buy your birthday presents, but I’m not happy that you weren’t there the rest of the time.”  He gave her a mischievous grin.  “Hotel beds are no fun alone.”

“Richard!” she squeaked on a throaty laugh.  “Behave and change for dinner.”  She smacked his chest before pulling away, her laughter following her to the bathroom.

 

~*~

 

Dinner had been a quiet, candle lit, intimate affair out on the patio.  The maid had been dismissed after she’d finished setting the table, and the two had enjoyed the taking their time.  Soft laughter had echoed in the dark as the two fed each other and teased with touches, words, and knowing looks across the table.

Now Richard was looking around their room, smiling at the roses his wife had placed in vases about the room.  She had cried again when she’d noticed the flowers laying on their bed, the tissue paper wrapped around them covered with _happy birthday_ in his hand writing.  She had shook her head, and went back to the bathroom to wash her face once again.

Emily smiled as she watched Richard move a candle to where it was sitting just so on the fireplace mantle.  He was being so romantic tonight, and so apologetic, that she couldn’t seem to do anything but cry and feel…very aroused.  The way he had touched her and looked at her over dinner, the sweet endearments and soft love words he’d whispered to her as they swayed to the low music coming from the stereo, had set the mood for this moment.

“Richard,” she said his name, her voice low and throaty just like she knew always turned him on.

Turning at the sound of his name, Richard felt his mouth fall open at the sight of his wife standing in nothing but sheer lace and the strand of pearls he’d daydreamed about only this afternoon.  “Dear god, Em,” he breathed as he held out his hand to her.

“You approve?” she asked as she pressed against him, smiling at the obvious evidence of his answer.

“Only one thing missing,” he answered as he led her to their bed, motioning for her to sit.

“Something’s missing?” she asked as she looked down at herself.  “Well, I would say a lot is missing, but I thought that was the point.”

Richard couldn’t help but laugh at the indignant tone of her voice.  “Oh, I’m very happy with the _lot_ that’s missing, but,” he pulled a box from under the bed.  “if you added these, I’d be even happier.”

“So this is where you’ve been hiding the other gifts.”  She smiled as she pulled at the ribbon then gently slide her finger under the tape to release the wrapping paper.  “Ooh my goodness.  Jimmy,” she started then stopped as she caught sight of the shoes inside.  “Richard!  Peep toes?  You know I won’t wear these.  I,” she stopped again and looked at him.  “Oh good grief.”  She shook her head.  “You paid this kind of money for shoes for the bedroom?”

He gave her a wolfish grin.  “I did,” was the simple answer as he took a shoe from the box and lifted her foot to slip it on.  “Perfect,” he whispered as he took in the way the black patent leather shoe, with its low cut sides, fit.  No man in his right mind would let his wife wear shoes like this out in public.  They were far too sexy for public consumption, he decided as he took the other shoe from the box.

Emily sighed and shook her head as she watched Richard slipping the last shoe on her other foot.  “You are perfectly silly.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Richard took her hands and pulled her up then backed away to look at her.  “Mmm, yes.  Just exactly how I thought you would look.  Walk around for me?”

“Oh for goodness sake, Richard,” she fussed even as she did what he’d asked.  How could she deny him this one silly little thing when he’d been so loving and sweet?  As she walked around, she had to admit that knowing that her husband was watching her, specifically her legs, made her feel alive and sexy.  Stopping back where she’d started, she was startled when Richard turned her around, gently pushing her forward so that she was leaning over the bed, her hands bracing her weight. 

“Richard?”

“Don’t move,” he breathed as he moved behind her, his knee gently nudging her thighs until she moved them further apart.  He could feel the want, the need, the lust, and marveled at the fact that it burned through him just as it had when he was a younger man.  The men he knew that were convinced things got old and stale after more than five years with the same women, were unbelievably stupid and not in love with the women they were married to, because every night with his wife was never old, stale, or lacking.  If anything, it was more exciting because the love was there, the familiarity was there, and the confidence to try new things came from knowing everything about the person you were with.

“Richard?”  Emily questioned again as she turned to look at her husband.  The look in his eyes, as he looked up at her, made her body shiver, heat coiling low in her stomach.  Biting her lip, she let her head fall back down, closing her eyes to concentrate on the feel of his hands as they moved up her thighs, over her hips and back again.  The feel of his gentle massage on her calves had her shifting, a moan escaping when his hands moved up to pull her back against him.

Richard cupped her breasts, kneading the heavy flesh, his thumb and forefinger tweaking the taut nipples pressing against the lace, making Emily moan.  Sliding a hand down over her ribs, he felt her squirm against him as he worked his way under the barely there lace, slipping down inside the only other garment she wore.  Touching her, he felt her back arch, her hands clasping his hips as she reached blindly behind her for support.  “I have you, Emmy.  Easy,” he whispered, his warm breath against her ear enough to make her tremble.

“This is insane, Richard,” she panted even as she spread her thighs further apart, giving him more access.

“Isn’t it always, Emmy?” he questioned as he nibbled at her ear.

Emily nodded, knowing that what he said was true.  “Please, Richard,” she whimpered as she felt her knees begin to buckle.

Pushing against her back, so that she was bent over the bed once more, Richard pulled on the drawstring of his silk pajama pants letting them fall to his feet before reaching out to push the scrap of satin that passed for panties down over her thighs.  Pushing the hem of her lace negligée up over her buttocks, he thrust forward, joining his body to hers as he gripped her hips.  Pausing to let her adjust, he took a deep breath before moving in a crazy pace.

Emily threw her head back as she tried to catch Richard’s rhythm, unsuccessfully.  He was wild, and she felt her head spinning with the intensity of it.  Gripping the sheets in her fists, she closed her eyes in a vain attempt to keep them from rolling back.  Just as she felt herself nearly toppling over the edge, Richard stopped abruptly and pulled from her.

“Sweet mercy, Richard!” she shouted at the sudden absence of his body against hers.

“Not this way,” he murmured as he turned her in his arms, his chest heaving as he tried to calm himself.  Sighing as he looked down into her confused eyes, he lifted the thin straps of her negligée from her shoulders, letting the lace glide smoothly down her body.  “You’re so beautiful.  This wasn’t the way I intended to make love to you,” he whispered as he leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips.  Darting his tongue inside her mouth then out again, he heard her grumble then felt her teeth nip at his tongue when it darted back between her lips.

Pushing at his robe, Emily helped it slide down his arms as he released her long enough for the robe to be free to fall in a pool of blue on the floor behind him.  Backing up, she lifted the strand of pearls up over head, placing them on the night stand before turning her attention back to her husband as she sat down on the edge of the bed. 

Kneeling down, Richard pressed kisses to her thighs then trailed them down to her calves, ending at her foot where he carefully took off a shoe before switching to the other thigh, repeating the kisses before removing the last shoe.  Looking back up at her, he was amazed by the fact that it seemed the older his wife got, the more beautiful she became.

Emily eagerly lay back on the bed and welcomed Richard’s weight on her body as she wrapped her arms around him.  When he smiled and rolled away from her, she frowned when he made her sit up while he moved to the middle of the bed.  Smiling when she realized what he was doing, she took his hand when he held it out to her and straddled his lap in a position she held as her favorite.

Richard smoothed the wayward strands of her hair as he studied her face.  “This is how I intended to show you that I love you, Emmy,” he whispered, moving inside her, his arms pulling her against him as he buried his face in her hair.

Emily nuzzled his neck, her own arms wrapped around him as their bodies moved together in a slow fluidic movement born from years of making love to the same person.  Their bodies knew the rhythm, falling into it as their hands caressed.  Nothing more than movement was needed to satisfy the other in this position.  It was meant to be sensual and slow, unlike their earlier activities which were almost frantic and wild with the lust of it all.

“Richard,” she breathed against his ear, her fingers tangling in his hair as her body began to contract around him.  Once again she was teetering on the edge of release, hoping that he didn’t change his mind about their position this time.  She wasn’t sure her senses could stand the sudden absence of sensation like before.

Keeping the pace steady, Richard held her tighter as he quickened his thrusts, groaning when Emily ground down against him in a counter thrust that was done to show him she was growing impatient with want and the need for the release he’d kept from her before.  Burying his hands in her hair, he gave her what she wanted, his own body restless for climax.

 

~*~

 

Emily sighed as she snuggled closer to Richard, her heart still thrumming with a slightly erratic pace, her body slowly drifting down from the powerful climax she’d shared with the man currently holding her against his chest.  She frowned when a thought crossed her mind. 

“Richard?” she questioned after a few seconds.

“Mmm hmm?” he mumbled, his fingers softly caressing her shoulder.

“Cake,” she spoke the one word and felt his chest rumble with laughter.

“It’s no wonder our granddaughter seems to be a cake fiend.  She got it from her grandmother.”

“Hey,” she protested and poked his side.

“You can’t deny it, Emmy, and you know it.”  He looked down at her.  “I put your cake in the kitchen.  I had intended to feed you cake and champagne as part of the seduction, but then you came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but lace and pearls and well,” he shrugged.  “Cake was the last thing on my mind.”

“So I noticed,” she quipped with a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

“If you’ll let me up, I’ll find my robe and go down for your cake.”

“I’ll go with you.”  She smiled at him when he gave her a questioning look.  “I know you can get it yourself,” she sighed and looked down at her hands.  “It’s silly, but I don’t want to be away from you.”

Cupping her cheek and tilting her face up so that she was looking at him, he smiled.  “Not silly.  I don’t relish being away from you, either.  Even if it is just for the few minutes it would take to go to the kitchen.”

“I’ll just be a minute.  I’ve got to get a robe,” she murmured as she moved from the bed, picking up her negligée as she went, slipping it back on.

Richard shook his head as he got up and grabbed his robe from the floor.  Even with an empty house, his wife was still too modest to walk around without anything on under her robe.  Tying the belt of his robe, he held out his hand when Emily came back into the room, tying the sash of her own robe.  “Ready?”

Emily smiled as she took his hand.  “Ready.  I can’t believe we’re eating cake at eleven o’clock at night.”

Richard shrugged as he pulled her closer while they walked down the stairs to the kitchen.  “Early midnight snack.”

“I don’t eat midnight snacks,” she informed him.

“Oh?” he asked with a wicked grin.

“Richard!  Behave.”  She smacked his chest, barely controlling her laughter.  She loved when he was in this kind of a mood.  Playful and romantic all in one.

“Must I?” he questioned as he lifted the small cake from it’s box.

Emily’s eyes focused on the cake and she forgot his question.  “Ooh, my favorite.”

“Yes,” he nodded.  “Red velvet.”

Emily watched him as he pulled a tray out from under one of the cabinets, placing the cake on one side, and the dessert plates he’d set out earlier, on the other side.  Smiling when he grabbed a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, she moved to the glass cabinet and took down two champagne flutes.

Richard smiled when Emily placed the glasses carefully on the tray.  “Ready?”

“Forks?” she asked when she noticed there were none on the tray.

“Oh,” he laughed.  “I suppose we do need those.”

“Might be a good idea.”  She shook her head as she walked around the counter, pulling out the drawer containing their everyday silver wear.  “I might as well get some napkins while I’m at it.”

“Yes, because you’re going to be _so_ messy with your cake,” he teased with a pat to her behind as she turned away from him.

“I told you to behave,” she scolded.

“If you expect me to behave, then I suggest you not come near me.”

Smiling, she shook her head and cupped his cheek.  “I’m not going anywhere.  You have the cake.”

Richard laughed and lifted the tray.  “Lead the way, Madam.”

 

~*~

 

Emily sighed as she placed her plate on the night stand.  “Mmm,” she hummed her approval around the sip of champagne she let slide down her throat.

“I’m glad you enjoyed your cake.”  Richard smiled when she looked at him.  “I have something else for you.”

“More?  What in the world?” she wondered as she watched him lean over to pull something from under the bed once again.  “At least now I know where to start looking for my presents,” she quipped when he sat up and placed a box wrapped in shiny silver paper on her lap.

“That won’t work.  I never hide your presents in the same place twice.”

“True,” she agreed as she pulled at the ribbon and paper.  Eyes widening as she lifted the lid, she looked up at Richard.  “More Jimmy Choos?”

“Ah, but these are special.  Look,” he lifted one out.  “What do they look like to you?”

Studying the black patent leather shoe for a moment, her eyebrows shot up when realization dawned.  “My Birkin Bag!  They match it perfectly!”

“Yes,” he answered simply then laughed when she turned to hug him.  “Happy Birthday, Em.”

“It’s been a wonderful birthday, Richard.  Even if I did wake up thinking you forgot.”  She frowned as she sat back against her pillows.  “I just thought of something.  You didn’t call me this morning.”

Richard shook his head.  “No, I didn’t.  I was in meetings long before you were up and I didn’t want to wake you.  I should have, I suppose.  It would have made your day less miserable.”  He sipped his champagne.

Taking another sip herself, Emily shook her head.  “No.  Don’t feel bad.  You were only thinking of me.”  She shrugged.  “Besides, the day wasn’t completely miserable.  Rory took me shopping, and I did manage to enjoy myself for the most part.”

“Em?”

Emily cocked her head to the side to study him, the tone of his voice puzzling.  “Yes?”

“If you thought I had forgotten your birthday,” he looked away.  “why did you buy the negligée for me?”

Emily smiled.  “Because I love you and knew you would enjoy it.  Even if you had forgotten, it _is_ only a day just like any other.”

“No,” he breathed.  “it is not just any other day.  It’s the day my match, that Heaven made just for me, made her appearance.  If this day had never been, I wouldn’t have you by my side and I’d be lost.  So very, _very_ lost.”

Emily wiped a tear as she leaned forward to kiss him.  “You sweet man.  I love you.”

“Never as much as I love you,” he breathed.

Leaning over to set her glass down, and put the box with her shoes on the floor, she grinned as she sat up, pulling the lace negligée up over her head before pushing Richard further down amongst the pillows.  Straddling him, she looked down and licked her lips before tracing her tongue around his mouth.

“More, Emmy?” he asked as he gripped her hips.

“Uh hum,” she murmured.  “After all…it’s still my birthday.”

 


End file.
